Asbury United Methodist Church
Asbury United Methodist Church is the oldest Methodist congregation in Jefferson County. Named for Francis Asbury, the first Methodist minister in America, the present location of the church can be traced back to June 24, 1791, when the Society of Methodists purchased a 1/4 acre from Charles Washington.
The deed was proved on Jan. 11, 1803 and recorded at the courthouse on June 10, 1806.
The church is located at 110 W. North St. in Charles Town.
The Rev. Richard Kroll is the current pastor.
A minister since 1971, Kroll is a 1964 graduate of Fork Union Military Academy. He graduated from Tusculum College in 1968 with a bachelor’s in philosophy and religion and received his Master of Divinity from Duke University in 1972. He was ordained a deacon in 1970 and ordained as an elder in 1974.
He has served congregations in Boonsboro, Williamsport, Baltimore, Carroll Co., Md.
and Otterbein United Methodist Church in Martinsburg before coming to Asbury in 2003.
The church offers a mix of traditional and contemporary services.
Three different styles of Communion and three different types of Baptism are offered.
Sunday services average 225 to 250 people.
Worship services are held 8:30, 9:45 and 11 a.m. each Sunday.
The 11 a.m. service includes choir singing. Child care is available for all three services.
Special services during the year include a 7 p.m. candlelight service and a 10 p.m. candlelight communion service on Christmas Eve; 10 a.m. Christmas day service followed by the Christmas community dinner; and a sunrise Easter service starting at 6:30 a.m. at Jefferson Memorial Park. The Easter service is a joint service shared with Baptist and Presbyterian congregations from Jefferson County.
Sunday school is held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The classes are based on the Cokesbury Curriculum.
Each week, children encounter a Bible story to help them understand the scripture and apply it to their lives. The stories follow the church year, so children experience stories of Christmas, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost.
The Youth Group is an extension of Sunday school for those in grades 6 – 12. They meet at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Activities center around recreation, service and religion. Caroling and fundraising activities for charitable organizations are some of the community services the group participates in. The group also participates in two annual trips, one to the ROCK retreat in the Baltimore-Washington area and the other for working missions.
The Asbury United Methodist Men meet monthly to share fellowship.
They meet the second Sunday of the month at 8 a.m. for a prayer and breakfast meeting.
The group hosts a spring and fall community prayer breakfast.
Among the organizations they support are Meals on Wheels, AARP and Boy Scouts.
The Asbury United Methodist Women take part in many activities, including special meals, fellowship and mission programs.
As part of their mission outreach, they raise funds from hosting bazaars and craft workshops.
They also provide funds for Community Ministries, The Shenandoah Women’s Shelter, Jefferson County Schools Book Bag Drive and Meals on Wheels.
From annual bazaar and yard sales, bridge nights and exercise classes to motorcycle rides and seasonal sports, Asbury United Methodist Church has something for everyone.
For more information about Asbury United Methodist Church and its many offerings, contact the church office at 304725-5513.
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